Hun Sen has issued a stern warning: while he
is charge, no coup d’état will ever happen, let alone succeed. He may or may
not be right. There are two possible sources of a coup: Sam Rainsy revolt or a CPP
insider.

The revolt is unlikely, despite a cacophony
surrounding Sam Rainsy’s talk of going home. First, he is risk-averse, incapable
of capitalise on what usually arises from jailed and/or dead heroes. He claims
dead heroes like Kem Ley, cannot help liberating people from dictatorship. He
says jailed Kem Sokha cannot and does not influence international opinions or
actions.

Obviously, he trivialises impacts of jailed or
dead heroes, like Gandhi, Mandela, Luther King, Aquino, etc… that initiate turning
points in the world. He fails to fully appreciate why the US and EU currently put
pressures on Hun Sen. Then again, for each dead or jailed hero in human
history, there are thousands of politicians who are nothing more than just
political irritations to their nemesis.

Second, Sam Rainsy still speaks of peaceful
means when opposing a mafia-like Hun Sen whose ruthless killing is legendary. He
may forget his previous humiliating encounters with Hun Sen when offering his
written apologies to his nemesis in exchange for Hun Sen’s peace and mercy.

Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng (SK) agrees to sit down and chat to Pseng-Pseng Frank Chat (FC). The following is an excerpt.

FC: Welcome to Frank Chat.

SK: It’s my pleasure to be frank.

FC: Your statement above shows you are going all out to ensure Sam Rainsy will not return. Why?

SK: There is no need for him to put himself at risk. There will be some changes in Cambodia.

FC: Oh, how so?

SK: Are you aware that the CPP Central Committee chooses me to succeed Hun Sen, not his son Hun Manet?

FC: Yes, but how did you know that when Hun Sen had hijacked the ballot box and counted the votes himself at home?

SK: Of course, one of my narks informed me of the outcome.

FC: Were you surprised that you were the chosen one, not his son?

SK: No.

FC: Why did Hun Sen hijack the ballot box though?

SK: You must understand the man has been worried sick about the current situation, especially an ever-growing frustration within the CPP. He is holding a time bomb close to his chest; and it is ticking.

FC: Why does he hold it close to his chest?

SK: Well, he’s in charge. He has been calling all the shots, hasn’t he?

PM Hun Sen is so committed to eliminating fake news that he talks candidly to PP about his current worries:

PP: You often use a vulgar language in public. Why?

HS: To show off my authority and threaten my foes as well as my minions.

PP: Many succumb to your threats; a few don’t...

HS: That is because I have not been vulgar enough. I will do better.

PP: One of the recalcitrant is Kem Sokha whom you lock up in his room like a naughty kid.

HS: Well, there is a sign in his room reminding him that he can walk out any time.

PP: No conditions?

HS: Indeed, there is. He must denounce Sam Rainsy, like Kong Korm did.

PP: What is the difference between the two men?

HS: Kong Korm is smart and accommodating. I told him I could drum up cases to confiscate all the land he ever owns. What do they say? If you’ve got them by the balls, their hearts and minds will follow. I have tried to grab Kem Sokha’s balls even before he was locked up.

PP: What if Kem Sokha has no balls?

HS: I will use his freedom as a leverage to get the EU import tax off my back. The EU can have his freedom, and I the tax concessions.

PP: Why are these concessions so important to you?

HS: A loss will devastate my power base.

PP: What do you mean? Are you worried about possible revolts if factories’ workers lose their jobs due to a possible export cut?

HS: No, the workers are the least of my worry.

PP: Oh, how so?

HS: Most fear me. It will take them a long time and courage to revolt.

A reliable source in Hun Sen’s inner-circle claims Hun Sen is being frustrated with a dilemma that only Sam Rainsy can help resolve. He is often heard giving vent to his exasperation by yelling at others in his city residence. He has held frequent meetings in the last few weeks with a small group of his close confidants, namely CPP vice president Say Chhum. A Chinese adviser also attends those discussions.

The Hun Sen conundrum is what and how he will respond if Sam Rainsy lands at Phnom Penh Airport. There are three basic options under his consideration.

One, as he blusters, he can arrest his nemesis, lock him up, and throws away the key. This may lead to a revolt by die-hard supporters and other followers, which can spin out of his control. Two, he can let the nemesis roam free after his return. This may breathe new life into the opposition party, which could consolidate and grow beyond his control. Three, he can opt for a Kem Ley option. This may lead to an instant uncontrollable popular uprising. Half of the 2013 and 2017 voters support his opposition. Kem Ley’s funeral procession attracts hundreds of thousand mourners that could have turned rebellious at the time to end his rule.

The former chief of Cambodia’s now-dissolved opposition party on Friday accused Prime Minister Hun Sen of using the country’s political detainees as pawns in a bid to silence his critics at home and shield himself from international condemnation over an election widely seen as unfree and unfair.

On Aug. 23, Hun Sen said he is mulling a mass release of political detainees that is likely to include a dozen members of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP)—Sam Rainsy’s former party, but that it was contingent upon the opposition putting an end to statements suggesting he is “under pressure” from the international community to do so following the July 29 general election.

The premier also suggested that the prisoners would have to sign statements condemning those who challenge his authority before they could be released.

Hun Sen’s ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) steamrolled last month’s ballot and secured all 125 parliamentary seats in play, but the victory has been widely dismissed as illegitimate following the dissolution of the CNRP in November and the arrest of its president Kem Sokha two months earlier over an alleged plot to topple the government, and amid a crackdown on the media and NGOs.

In response to Hun Sen’s comments, former CNRP President Sam Rainsy, who is living in self-imposed exile to avoid a host of what are seen as politically motivated convictions, slammed the prime minister for holding the detainees “hostage” in a bid to muzzle him and other critics of his government.

“Everyone in Cambodia, even the king [Norodom Sihamoni], is held hostage by Hun Sen,” he said during a Friday call-in show with RFA’s Khmer Service.

“Now the detainees are being forced to do what Hun Sen wants against their will. They are compelled to bow down to Hun Sen just to secure their release.”

Sam Rainsy said Hun Sen “can never hold me hostage” and vowed to “continue to speak the truth” about how the prime minister is failing Cambodia.

“The truth is that Hun Sen is under such tremendous international pressure that he has to release the detainees — it’s not a coincidence,” he said.

“Hun Sen pretends that he is a good-hearted person who sympathizes with the detainees. He is not. If he were a good-hearted person, he would not have arrested these people in the first place and would have released them long ago.”

Earlier on Friday, Sam Rainsy wrote in a post to his Facebook page that Hun Sen is “at a dead end.”

“The sham election he arranged has been strongly condemned and his new government lacks a mandate,” he said.

“The international community is mounting more pressure on him to restore democracy and he is desperate for legitimacy, so that is why he announced that he will release more detainees.”

The former CNRP chief suggested that even by releasing all political prisoners, Hun Sen will “still fall short” of satisfying international demands, and will have to reinstate the CNRP and allow its members to take part in politics again before pressure subsides.

Recent clemency

The prime minister, who secured another five-year term to add to his 33 years in office after official election results were announced last week, has made a practice of heavy-handed crackdowns on his critics, followed by a relaxation of restrictions after facing international condemnation.

The U.S. last week announced an expansion of visa bans on individuals seen as limiting democracy in the country, as part of a series of “concrete steps” aimed at pressuring Cambodia to “reverse course” that included a decision to withdraw funding for last month’s elections.

The European Union, which was the second-largest trading partner of Cambodia in 2017, also withdrew support ahead of the ballot and is currently reviewing a preferential trade scheme for Cambodian exports based on the country’s election environment.

ASIAN GAMES GOLD FOR CAMBODIA BY CALIFORNIAN BORN IN TEXAS

JAKARTA — At 16, Jessa Khan has already won a stack of gold medals at state, regional and international competitions. But these are nothing to match her gold medal in jiu-jitsu at the Asian Games.

She won for Cambodia, thrilling for a young woman who was born in Texas, lives in southern California and was competing for the birthplace of her father.

“I won a lot of gold medals before, but this one was very special,” she said in an interview Sunday with the Associated Press.

Khan said she visited Cambodia for the first time just two weeks ago, intrigued by the chance to compete for her adopted nation in jiu-jitsu, which is on the Asian Games sports program for the first time.

“It means a lot since it’s the first time they are having jiu-jitsu, so I’m glad I was able to win it for Cambodia and — make history,” she said.

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Vietnam’s steel exports rose 40.4 percent year on year to 3.41 million tonnes in the first seven months of the year. (Photo: vneconomy.vn)

Vietnam’s steel exports rake in 2.53 billion USD in 7 months

Vietnam Plus | 21 August 2018

Hanoi (VNA) –Vietnam’s steel exports rose 40.4 percent year on year to 3.41 million tonnes in the first seven months of the year, raking in 2.53 billion USD, up 56.3 percent.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Cambodia [Vietnamese in Cambodia?!] was the largest importer of Vietnamese steel during the January-July period, accounting for 37 percent of the total steel export volume.

The country’s steel exports to Cambodia increased by 49 percent in volume and 77.9 per cent in value over the same period last year, reaching 717,572 tonnes, equivalent to 462.73 million USD.

Some 532,779 million tonnes were shipped to the US for 452.81 million USD, increasing by 71.6 percent in volume and 81.7 percent in turnover.

Shipments to Malaysia escalated 88.5 per cent in volume and 108.6 per cent in value to reach 391,607 tonnes, or 266.98 million USD.

Indonesia splashed out 295.33 million USD purchasing 372,514 tonnes of Vietnamese steel, up 22.3 percent in volume, and 33 percent in value.

During the period, steel export price increased by 11.3 percent to reach average 742.8 USD per tonne. Of which, exports to Hong Kong reached the highest rate with 2,995.8 USD per tonne, up 33.4 percent. Some markets also enjoyed good prices such as Switzerland, Turkey, China and Ukraine.

In contrast, exports to Taiwan have the lowest price of 556.7 USD per tonne, a year-on-year decrease of 14 percent.

Although the steel sector has witnessed thriving exports, it is struggling to cope with trade defence lawsuits in the context of growing protectionism. From July 16 to August 9, the sector faced anti-dumping lawsuits in many foreign countries such as Thailand, the EU, Canada, Malaysia, the US, the Eurasian Economic Union, and India.

Particularly, within only a week (July 27 to August 2), the US launched two investigations into the avoidance of paying anti-dumping and anti-subsidy taxes on corrosion-resistant steel and cold rolled steel from Vietnam.

As of the end of June, local steel products were the target of 37 anti-dumping lawsuits among 78 trade remedy lawsuits against Vietnamese exports from the outset of the year.

Chairman of the Vietnam Steel Association (VSA) Ho Nghia Dung said that improving competitive capacity to expand export markets and understanding of international trade regulations are significant for Vietnamese steel firms to respond to trade defence lawsuits.

The association recommended the state to enhance the use of trade defence tools to protect domestic steel production.-VNA

Vietnamization. Intriguing insider information reporting of relationship between Hun Sen and Say Phouthong. According to Pen Sovan, Hun Sen and Say Phouthang, the only 2 Khmer officials under occupation, accompanied Vietnamese soldiers to his residence to arrest him and deport him that same night to Hanoi for solitary confinement, only released over a decade later by stipulations in the Oct. 1991 Agreements calling for the freedom of the thousands of political prisoners.

“As a close neighbour of Cambodia, Vietnam congratulates Samdech Techo Hun Sen on his appointment as Cambodian Prime Minister in accordance with a royal ordinance issued on August 17 by Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni to take a mission of establishing a new Govenrment for the new-tenure National Assembly’s approval.”

“This is a significant stride in the election progress of Cambodia,” the spokeswoman said.

“Vietnam believes that once established, the new National Assembly and Government of Cambodia will continue leading the country to thrive and contribute to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the Southeast Asian region and the world,” Hang stressed.

Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni on August 17 designated Samdech Techo Hun Sen as the Prime Minister for another five-year term after his Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) won a sweeping victory in the general election on July 29.

The decision was made following a request from the CPP, which won all 125 parliamentary seats in the election.-VNA

Declassified CIA documents

Sam Rainsy

Note from Hengsoy Jr.

We, Heng Soy's family and friends, are as dedicated as ever to continue his legacy of publishing sensitive information about Cambodia.

Ethnocide: destruction of a culture

For 10 years, the Vietnamese tried to apply to Cambodia a policy of ethnocide, insidiously carried out in the educational domain.... [T]he curriculum was based on that of Vietnam.... "Even schools' names come from Vietnamese"

Disputed Cambodia’s territorial waters

Facing Genocide

Award-winning film is a search into the personality of Khieu Samphan, meetings with him one and half year before his arrest (Khmer / French with English subtitles)

HRW report - DRAGGED AND BEATEN

The Cambodian Government’s Role in the October 2015 Attack on Opposition Politicians

Sam Rainsy's CV ប្រវត្តិរូប លោក សម រង្សីុ

(ខេមរភាសា / English) Leadership Cambodians desire, deserve

30 Years of Hun Sen

75-page report by Human Rights Watch, Jan. 2015

Reminder from Heng Soy (founder of KI Media)

Truth2Power (T2P) Media [formerly KI Media] loves to hear from you, and we're giving you a bullhorn. We just ask that you keep things civil. Please leave out personal attacks, do not use profanity, ethnic or racial slurs, or take shots at anyone's sexual orientation or religion. We thank you for your cooperation!

Concerts for the People of Kampuchea

On Dec 26-29, 1979 [by now, Cambodia under one full year of Vietnamese occupation], the musician Paul McCartney and Kurt Waldheim, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, organized a four-night benefit

Vietnam Invasion of Kampuchea (2 of 5, Film in English)

'The Vietnamese boasted, "The situation in Kampuchea is irreversible." ...the Vietnamese had installed a government of their own choosing. The figurehead were former Khmer Rouge... The Pol Pot regime had ended. But the worse was still not over... hundreds of thousands died during two long years of famine.'

Welcome to The Harvard Classics

Speak Truth to Power

A WORLD SAFE FOR DIVERSITY

Punctuation is Key to Development

Compare these two versions of Khmer article: Original vs. With Punctuation

Fair Trial Rights Handbook

In both Khmer and English

How chronic stress affects your brain

TED-Ed: How chronic stress can affect the brain's size, structure, and how it functions

Trauma Handbook

In both Khmer and English

Time for Truth

Os Guinness at Stanford Univ.

Is Tolerance Intolerant?

Pursuing the Climate of Acceptance and Inclusion - Ravi Zacharias at UCLA

Gene Sharp

From Dictatorship to Democracy, in English, other languages, free downloading

Gene Sharp

From Dictatorship to Democracy (Khmer translated by Mr. Ung Bun Ang)

UDHR

Universal Declaration of Human Rights, punctuated Khmer

Proverbs

Punctuated Khmer

Elizabeth Becker

Luke

ដំណឹងល្អ រៀបរៀង ដោយលូកា (Punctuated Khmer)

Sam Rainsy

My Struggle for Democracy in Cambodia

MIRACLES: Is Belief in Supernatural Irrational?

Standing ovation for this witty, illuminating, educational talk of Oxford prof. John Lennox at Harvard Univ.

Theary Seng

Rithy Panh

Pin Yathay

Nic Dunlop

How To Make Your Kids Smarter

10 Steps Backed By Science

KramaNation

KI Media family in KramaNation

Published articles about Vietnamese Military Occupation

Genocide under the cover of Genocide, 25 Dec. 1978 - 23 Oct. 1991

ប្រវត្តិសាស្ត្រ ប្រទេស កម្ពុជា | History Series

សម រង្ស៊ី / Sam Rainsy: ខ្ញុំ សូម លាតត្រដាង ប្រវត្តិសាស្ត្រ ប្រទេស កម្ពុជា មួយរយៈកាល (ពីឆ្នាំ ១៩៥១ ដល់ឆ្នាំ ១៩៩១) ដែលគេ បិទបាំង មិនឲ្យ ប្រជារាស្ត្រខ្មែរ បានដឹង។ I would like to expose a period of Cambodia's history (from 1951 to 1991) that has been hidden to the Cambodian people.

REPEAT OFFENDER: Vietnam's Persistent Trade in Illegal Timber

Report of London-based Environmental Investigation Agency, May 2017

GRAND CONCESSIONS

Vietnamese People's Army has quietly assumed control of nearly 40,000 hectares of land in Ratanakkiri (Cambodia Daily, 24 Dec. 2015)

Global Witness: Rubber Barons

How Vietnamese companies and international financiers are driving a land grabbing crisis in Cambodia and Laos

K-5 GENOCIDE, 1981-88

The Vietnamization of Cambodia: A New Model of Colonialism

A series of exposes that Indochina Report has published on the Vietnamization process. Others in the series: "The Military Occupation of Kampuchea" (1985), "Vietnamized Cambodia: A Silent Ethnocide" by Marie Alexandrine Martin (1986). and "Daily Life in Cambodia: A Personal Account" by Dr. Esmeralda Luciolli (1988)

Vietnamization: Airlines, Airspace

Cambodia Angkor Air, "golden route" over Cambodian airspace

Cambodia's Family Tree

Global Witness Report: Cambodia is run by a kleptocratic elite that generates much of its wealth via the seizure of public assets, particularly natural resources.

The Economist explains economics

The Economist explains” 6 seminal economics ideas.

Who Killed Chea Vichea?

The Peabody Award-winning film in both KHMER and English. More at www.whokilledcheavichea.com.

I Am Chut Wutty

Banned in Cambodia, documentary film about murdered environmental activist by govt security